A method and apparatus are provided for forming metal circuit patterns and other designs on greensheets and other substrates. The method and apparatus utilize a metal containing transfer sheet whereby selected portions of the metal containing transfer sheet are transferred to the greensheet forming the desired circuit pattern and then the transfer sheet removed. The metal containing transfer sheet may contain a release layer. Transfer methods include stamping, hot rolling, laser beam, heat, etc. and combinations thereof The transfer sheet may also have a stratified or graded vertical profile so that different conductivities or other circuit properties (transfer sheet adhesion, etc.) may be obtained in the formed pattern on the substrate.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for making metalized circuit patterns on a greensheet or other electronic component substrate comprising: forming a metal containing transfer sheet without a release layer comprising a metal powder and a binder; applying the metal containing transfer sheet on the surface of a greensheet or electronic component substrate; transferring and adhering a portion of the metalized transfer sheet in a desired metalized circuit pattern from the metal containing transfer sheet to the greensheet and forming the metalized circuit pattern on the greensheet surface; and removing the remainder of the metal containing transfer sheet from the greensheet leaving the patterned greensheet product.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired circuit pattern is transferred from the metal containing transfer sheet to the greensheet or other electronic component substrate by heat, pressure, stamping, laser, or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet disperses the metal powder in a graded distribution, from a maximum to a minimum, through the thickness of the sheet.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet disperses the metal powder in a uniform distribution through the thickness of the sheet.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet further disperses through the thickness of the sheet particles selected from the group consisting of ceramic and glass.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet disperses the metal powder through the thickness of the sheet in an amount of about 1 to 99 weight percent of the finished sheet and particles selected from the group consisting of ceramic and glass in an amount of about 99 to 1 weight percent of the finished sheet.
7. A method for making a multilayer ceramic electronic component substrate comprising; providing a plurality of greensheet substrates suitable for forming into a multilayer ceramic substrate; forming a metal containing transfer sheet without a release layer comprising a metal powder and a binder; applying the metal containing transfer sheet on the surface of the greensheet; transferring and adhering a portion of the metal containing transfer sheet in a desired pattern from the metal containing transfer sheet to the greensheet forming the desired circuit pattern on the greensheet surface; removing the remainder of the metal containing transfer sheet from the greensheet leaving the greensheet having the desired circuit pattern thereon; repeating the above procedure for the number of greensheets to be used to make the multilayer ceramic substrate; stacking the pattern containing ceramic greensheets; and laminating and sintering the stacked ceramic greensheets forming the multilayer ceramic electronic component substrate.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the desired circuit pattern is transferred from the metal containing transfer sheet to the greensheet or other electronic component substrate by heat, pressure, stamping, laser, or a combination thereof.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet disperses the metal powder in a graded distribution, from a maximum to a minimum, through the thickness of the sheet.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet disperses the metal powder in a uniform distribution through the thickness of the sheet.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet further disperses through the thickness of the sheet particles selected from the group consisting of ceramic and glass.
12. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of forming the metal containing transfer sheet disperses the metal powder through the thickness of the sheet in an amount of about 1 to 99 weight percent of the finished sheet and particles selected from the group consisting of ceramic and glass in an amount of about 99 to 1 weight percent of the finished sheet.
13. A method for making metalized circuit patterns on a greensheet or other electronic component substrate comprising: forming a metal containing transfer sheet comprising a metal powder and a binder wherein the metal powder is in a graded distribution, from a maximum to a minimum, through the thickness of the sheet; applying the metal containing transfer sheet on the surface of a greensheet or electronic component substrate; transferring and adhering a portion of the metalized transfer sheet in a desired metalized circuit pattern from the metal containing transfer sheet to the greensheet and forming the metalized circuit pattern on the greensheet surface; and removing the remainder of the metal containing transfer sheet from the greensheet leaving the patterned greensheet product.
14. A method for making a multilayer ceramic electronic component substrate comprising: providing a plurality of greensheet substrates suitable for forming into a multilayer ceramic substrate; forming a metal containing transfer sheet comprising a metal powder and a binder wherein the metal powder is in a graded distribution, from a maximum to a minimum, through the thickness of the sheet; applying the metal containing transfer sheet on the surface of the greensheet; transferring and adhering a portion of the metal containing transfer sheet in a desired pattern from the metal containing transfer sheet to the greensheet forming the desired circuit pattern on the greensheet surface; removing the remainder of the metal containing transfer sheet from the greensheet leaving the greensheet having the desired circuit pattern thereon; repeating the above procedure for the number of greensheets to be used to make the multilayer ceramic substrate; stacking the pattern containing ceramic greensheets; and laminating and sintering the stacked ceramic greensheets forming the multilayer ceramic electronic component substrate.
15. An apparatus for making a greensheet having a metalized circuit pattern thereon comprising; means to hold and support a greensheet and a metal containing transfer sheet without a release layer on the greensheet, the metal containing transfer sheet comprising a metal powder and a binder; stamping plate means to transfer and adhere a portion of the metal containing transfer sheet to the greensheet in a desired pattern on the greensheet surface, the stamping plate having a number of raised features corresponding to the desired pattern and a height smaller than the height of the metal containing transfer sheet to provide a compressive force to the transfer sheet; and means to remove the remainder of the metal containing transfer sheet not transferred to the greensheet leaving a metalized patterned greensheet having the desired circuit pattern thereon.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the means to hold and support a greensheet comprises a vacuum plate.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the means to remove the remainder of the metal containing transfer sheet not transferred to the greensheet comprises a vacuum on a stamping plate.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 30, 1999
June 11, 2002
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